October 10, 2013 -- Dr. Martin Pall, Professor emeritus of biochemistry and basic medical sciences at Washington State University, has just published a paper in the Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine that has resolved a long-standing puzzle about how EMFs can influence our bodies. It shows that EMFs act by activating some channels in cells known as voltage-gated calcium channels. He will explain how activating these channels can act along a pathway that is thought to be involved in several diseases that we are all concerned about. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jcmm.12088/pdf

Professor Barrie Trower has met with a wide international community of government officials, universities and medical professionals. With extensive knowledge of microwave weapons, Trower is well suited to address this issue. In Portland he will present, for the first time, his new paper that asserts the reproductive systems of girls and boys is being adversely affected by exposure to microwave radiation from laptops and wi -fi routers. http://citizensforsafetechnology.org/Humanity-at-the-Brink--Barrie-Trower,15,3333

Referring to thousands of, Soviet, British, European and U.S. Military studies, Trower makes the astonishing claim that school girls exposed to low-level microwave radiation (WiFi) are at risk of suffering stillbirth, fetal abnormalities or genetically damaged children when they give birth.

Professor Trower and Dr. Pall are among a growing community of scientists, government agencies, medical and parent advocacy groups that question the safety of our children in schools where they are exposed to 7 hours of microwave radiation from wifi routers each day. http://www.wirelesswatchblog.org/wi-fi-in-schools/

Limit children's use of mobiles: French agency

Children and heavy users of mobile phones should limit the time they spend on the devices, France's national health and safety agency warned on Tuesday, despite not finding a "proven health effect" from mobile phone use.

The National Agency for Health, Food and Environmental Safety (ANSES) said on Tuesday it would make a recommendation that children and heavy users of mobile phones limit their exposure to the devices, with heavy use defined as 40 minutes of conversation a day.

The safety watchdog added, however, that it was standing by existing recommendations for mobile phones, wifi and cellphone relay antennas, saying the electro-magnetic emissions by mobiles had "no proven effect" on health.

The report was put together by a panel of 16 experts, who looked at more than 300 scientific studies that have been published since 2009, when the recommendations were last assessed.

The panel noted some studies that have suggested a higher long-term risk of brain cancer for heavy users of mobile phones.

Last October, an Italian court issued a landmark ruling, finding that a commerce manager was entitled to compensation from his company because the brain tumour he suffered (later removed), was caused by "speaking on a mobile phone up to 6 hours a day for 12 years because his job demanded it."

On Tuesday, ANSES also listed various possible "biological effects in humans or animals," namely disruption to "sleep, male fertility or cognitive performance," which coincided with mobile phone use.

"However, the agency’s experts were unable to establish any causal link between the biological effects described in cell models, animals or humans, and any possible resulting health effects."

"Given this information, and against a background of rapid development of technologies and practices, ANSES recommends limiting the population’s exposure to radiofrequencies – in particular from mobile phones – especially for children and intensive users, and controlling the overall exposure that results from relay antennas," it said.

Despite the absence of a definitive consensus on the health risks associated with mobile phone use, the fast pace of technological development, and the current inability to conduct certain risk assessments meant the agency was recommending a limiting of exposure to radiofrequencies among the general population.

For example, ANSES noted that the "potential impact of communication protocols [such as] 2G, 3G, and 4G networks seems to be poorly documented."

Dominique Gombert, head of risk assessment at ANSES said that heavy use of mobile phones was considered to be 40 minutes or more a day in conversation.

Options for consumers include using a hands-off kit or selecting a phone with lower electromagnetic emissions, ANSES said. Mobile phones are the biggest single source of everyday exposure to electromagnetic radiation, the agency added.

The provision was based on fears about the long-term effects of radiofrequency exposure among children.

For its part, the WHO (World Health Organization) has reached similar conclusions to those of ANSES. "A large number of studies have been performed over the last two decades to assess whether mobile phones pose a potential health risk," the WHO said in a factsheet.

"To date, no adverse health effects have been established as being caused by mobile phone use." It did note, however, that because mobile phones only became widely used in the 1990s, not enough data is yet available to study the long-term effects of mobile phone use.

But, the WHO said, "animal studies consistently show no increased cancer risk for long-term exposure to radiofrequency fields."

Shanghai Fudan University develops new Li-Fi technology

Staff Reporter

2013-10-18

11:43 (GMT+8)

A new light bulb design on display at the Hong Kong International Lighting Fair, Apr. 6. (Photo/Xinhua)

Shanghai's Fudan University has made a breakthrough with the development of "Li-Fi" technology, in which a one watt LED light bulb can help connect four computers to the internet simultaneously, reports the local Xinmin Evening News.

Compared with an average internet connection speed of 150 megabytes per second (Mbps), the new technology — which uses light as a carrier instead of traditional radio frequencies used for Wi-Fi — can also generate speeds as fast as 3.25 gigabytes per second (Gbps), the university said.

The current wireless broadband connections are expensive and less efficient, said Xue Xiangyang, a professor at the university's Department of Computer Science. He cited the example of wireless services in mobile phones, where although there are many base stations set up to help increase the signals, efficiency rates are as low as 5%. On the other hand, LED lighting, which could be used to replace traditional devices, can provide a safer and cheaper solution by adding a microchip on the bulb, Xu said.

The Shanghai Committee of Science and Technology asked Fudan University to work on key applications to help develop the information industry last year, and the university will now showcase ten computer samples using the new technology at the Shanghai Industry Expo next month.

Chi Nan, a member of the research team, said that Wi-Fi, which depends on an invisible wave, has the hidden danger of electromagnetic radiation, while with Li-Fi technology, the light spectrum is 10,000 times more than the radio spectrum and it does not require any new infrastructure construction. He added, however, that there is still a long way to go before Li-Fi can be used by thousands of households as it would take time to manufacture a series of products, such as the connection control and chip at a mass production level.

Chi said that Li-Fi should not be treated as a rival to Wi-Fi connection but rather as a complementary technology, as the Li-Fi connection may be disrupted when the light is blocked.

Cellphones in the classroom an issue for Halton teachers

The union representing Ontario’s public elementary teachers is pushing to have cellphones turned off in the classroom and wireless technology (WiFi) use monitored for potential health-related concerns.

The Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario (ETFO) passed several motions at its annual general meeting this past summer, one being that personal electronic devices, like student cellphones, should be turned off and stored during school hours, unless a teacher gives permission for their use.

That vote was part of a series of motions, which also requested that radiation from cellphones and WiFi be recognized as a possible workplace hazard for the organization’s 76,000-plus teachers, more than 2,600 of them with the Halton public school board.

A second ETFO vote at its AGM resolved that school boards stop putting WiFi transmitters in out-of-sight locations, such as in ceilings, and also label them as part of a hazard control program.

WiFi in general has been looked at and the jury is still out on its (potentially) harmful effects. Right now WiFi is the way to go. Are we walking a crooked path? - Richard Brock, president of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association (OECTA), Halton chapter

Sandra Walsh, a teacher representing Peel District (Mississauga and Brampton) at the AGM, told the Post in September that most school boards already have a bring your own device (BYOD) policy for teachers, staff and students in relation to electronic items like cellphones, laptops, iPads and smartphones.

“If they (board) already have a (acceptable use) policy in place, they (students probably) can only use them under direction of a teacher’s instruction,” said Walsh.

The organization formulates policy for its union members but it is up to school boards to decide whether to accept any of its recommendations, she added.

Walsh said the ETFO’s provincial body has concerns about how cellphones and other electronic devices might be used by students in schools and also the possible physical effects on everyone in the school environment with regards to the use of wireless technology.

“It (goes) to the distractability issue. Why should they have them in their pocket?” she wondered about students and cellphones or other handheld electronics.

“It’s a precautionary thing, too, like microwaves at home. When not in use you turn it off,” she said. “Children are always more vulnerable to environmental (pressures).

“Some experts say this could be the next public health experiment,” noted Walsh.

In a press release from May 2011, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a specialized cancer agency of the World Health Organization (WHO), classified radio-frequency electromagnetic fields as possibly carcinogenic to humans, based on an increased risk for glioma, a malignant type of brain cancer, associated with wireless phone use.

However, the head of the elementary school teachers’ union at the Halton Catholic school board has expressed concerns similar to those of ETFO Ontario.

Richard Brock, who represents 1,700 elementary teachers with the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association’s (OECTA) Halton chapter told the Post, “The (Catholic) board clearly has its own policy on electronic devices,” and instructs teachers on what is considered appropriate use in classrooms.

He doesn’t believe there is any need in a class though for one particular device.

“There is no practical use for a cellphone in a classroom,” Brock said. “

He has concerns with several potential uses of cellphones in class such as recording teachers or taking photos of them.

“The one per cent (of students) can do a lot of damage,” to a teacher’s reputation, Brock said, noting electronic material can be taken out of context and posted on social media sites, with the potential to be seen by many people.

“As a teacher you are under constant scrutiny, in school and also in their private life.

“Right now they (many students) are working on iPads (so) the teacher is in control” of the classroom, for now, he added.

The health-related impact of wireless technology is not as clear-cut, said Brock.

“WiFi in general has been looked at and the jury is still out on its (potentially) harmful effects. Right now WiFi is the way to go. Are we walking a crooked path?” he wondered.

The chief information officer at the Halton public school board says they support the provincial ETFO motions related to limiting cellphone use in class and concerns about WiFi.

“Students can certainly use their technology outside of the classroom,” such as during nutritional breaks, lunch and recess, said Bruce Smith.

“During the instructional day it would be up to the school to decide how they are to be used. It is a school-by-school decision, just as it is a class-by-class (teacher) decision,” he added.

“In secondary, most schools welcome technology into the classroom, but it’s still a teacher’s decision…. In Grade 8 you would find more technology in the classroom than in Grade 2.”

One area of electronic communication that is open to potential misuse in the classroom is messaging between students, says Smith.

“Texting can be abused. It replaces the (paper) note you used to hand to your friend, but the (good) use list is far longer than the abuse list,” he said in general about electronic devices in schools.

When personal devices get smaller, they are harder to detect when in use.

“They all have cameras and telephones and texting capability…. (Students) have to have understand, if you are going to take a teacher’s picture you have to ask for their permission,” said Smith.

Despite some concerns about how electronic devices can be used, his board embraces technology, as evidenced by its new Bring I.T. program, he said.

“The board is funding the roll-out of Bring I.T. by providing $2 million per year during each of the next five years. It will provide teacher training, mounted data projectors, a document camera and a teacher device in 60 per cent of our classrooms over the next five years.”

Visit http://bit.ly/1aUm6vf to view the Halton public school board’s Acceptable Use Procedure for Information and Communication Technology.

Details of the Halton public board’s Bring I.T. (Information Technology) program can be viewed athttp://bit.ly/1562Ffi.

The Halton Catholic board passed first reading of its Use of and Support for School Technology and Social Media policy in June 2013. It can be found at http://bit.ly/18AZkn2.

Sleep 'cleans' the brain of toxins

The brain uses sleep to wash away the waste toxins built up during a hard day's thinking, researchers have shown.

The US team believe the
"waste removal system" is one of the fundamental reasons for sleep.

Their study, in the journal
Science, showed brain cells shrink during sleep to open up the
gaps between neurons and allow fluid to wash the brain clean.

They also suggest that
failing to clear away some toxic proteins may play a role in brain disorders.

One big question for sleep
researchers is why do animals sleep at all when it leaves them vulnerable to
predators?

It has been shown to have a
big role in the fixing of memories in the brain and learning, but a team at the
University of Rochester Medical Centre believe that "housework" may
be one of the primary reasons for sleep.

"The brain only has limited
energy at its disposal and it appears that it must choose between two different
functional states - awake and aware or asleep and cleaning up," said
researcher Dr Maiken Nedergaard.

"You can think of it
like having a house party. You can either entertain the guests or clean up the
house, but you can't really do both at the same time."

Plumbing

Their findings build on last
year's discovery of the brain's own network of plumbing pipes - known as the
glymphatic system - which carry waste material out of the brain.

Scientists, who imaged the
brains of mice, showed that the glymphatic system became 10-times more active
when the mice were asleep.

Cells in the brain, probably
the glial cells which keep nerve cells alive, shrink during sleep. This
increases the size of the interstitial space, the gaps between brain tissue,
allowing more fluid to be pumped in and wash the toxins away.

Dr Nedergaard said this was
a "vital" function for staying alive, but did not appear to be
possible while the mind was awake.

She told the BBC: "This
is purely speculation, but it looks like the brain is losing a lot of energy
when pumping water across the brain and that is probably incompatible with
processing information."

She added that the true
significance of the findings would be known only after human studies, but doing
similar experiments in an MRI machine would be relatively easy.

Commenting
on the research Dr Neil Stanley, an independent sleep expert, said: "This
is a very interesting study that shows sleep is essential downtime to do some
housekeeping to flush out neurotoxins.

"There
is good data on memory and learning, the psychological reason for sleep. But
this is the actual physical and chemical reason for sleep, something is happening
which is important."

"The
novelty is the role of the interstitial space, but I think it's an added piece
of the puzzle not the whole mechanism.

"The
significance is that, yet again, it shows sleep may contribute to the
restoration of brain cell function and may have protective effects."

Many
conditions which lead to the loss of brain cells such as Alzheimer's or
Parkinson's disease are characterised by the build-up of damaged proteins in
the brain.

The
researchers suggest that problems with the brain's cleaning mechanism may
contribute to such diseases, but caution more research is needed.

The
charity Alzheimer's Research UK said more research would be needed to see
whether damage to the brain's waste clearance system could lead to diseases
like dementia, but the findings offered a "potential new avenue for
investigation".

Follow by Email

Followers

About Me

While I have always been extremely health conscious and am presently in excellent health, I did become temporarily out-of-commission (i.e. I was really sick) in 2005 with a number of at the time unexplainable symptoms. I was quite puzzled at the time because I had been eating mainly organically grown food, drinking spring water, doing Yoga every morning, and going to the gym several times a week. In other words, I was doing everything one is supposed to do to stay healthy. I was not supposed to get sick. It took me six months before discovering or even imagining the main source of the problem - which was in fact "overexposure to electromagnetic" - especially microwave - radiation. I was living within 200 meters of two cell phone towers at the time and within 500 meters of a 3rd one with numerous WiFi signals bleeding into my apartment from adjacent neighbors. I developed a host of symptoms, which are found in what has been misleadingly described as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) -- but much more accurately described as Radio Wave or Microwave Sickness. Large numbers of people in the USA suddenly started getting sick in 1984...